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Semirhage
| status = Dead | rank=Chosen | height=Unusually tall | hair=Short, wavy | build=Slender | eyes=Large,dark | gender=Female | mentioned= | appeared= | lastappeared= | lastmentioned= }}Nemene Damendar Boann was the most prominent Restorer, or healer, in the Age of Legends. She was given the name Semirhage by people when she publicly supported the Shadow. She is among the thirteen Forsaken who were trapped at Shayol Ghul due to the Dragon's sealing. Semirhage was and is greatly feared, infamously cruel and sadistic. Appearance She is slender and taller than most men. She has a dark face with large dark eyes and full lips. She has short wavy hair. She is said to always dress in black because Lanfear dresses in white, though not even the other Forsaken dare to call her on it. History Medical Professional Semirhage was the most gifted healer in the entire Age of Legends, an occupation known as a Restorer. She was whisked all across the world because she could heal anything short of death. Revered as she was, Semirhage sometimes gave people a little extra pain after healing, but few said anything about it. After all, she had just brought them from the brink of death. Some people Semirhage deemed undeserving of life, and those were not saved but killed instead, doubtlessly in an unpleasant fashion. When the Hall of Servants found out about her sadistic crimes they offered her a choice: be bound as a criminal by a Binder not to take 'her pleasures' or to be severed. Semirhage was furious at the Hall for thinking more of "common people" over someone as important as her. She chose a third option. She was among the first to pledge her soul to the Shadow. According to Graendal, Semirhage was utterly corrupt even before her conversion; she was mercilessly torturing people and even killing them long before the Bore was even open. Semirhage.]] It seems that Semirhage was the second highest ranked female among the Forsaken only after Lanfear herself. It is possible she was equal in strength with Graendal, but the fact that the others feared her for her pleasures gave her an edge. One of the first of Lews Therin's memories to surface in Rand is the memory of Semirhage being very poor at working with weather. War of Power During the War of Power, territories governed by Semirhage were often marked by terrible cruelty - even compared to territories governed by other Chosen. She forced people in cities to help torture each other. She used this in her studies about breaking people using pain, and experimented on ways to kill, such as replacing people's blood with various foreign substances. Semirhage used this sinister knowledge on those who had - in her eyes - made her turn to the Shadow, and was filled with enormous satisfaction for each one of those from Hall of Servants who had thought they could judge her, as each swore their loyalty to the Dark One. She became widely known as the Lady of Pain. So horrific and widespread was her reputation that people were known to bite through their own wrists rather than face her. In fact, special precautions had to be taken to keep prisoners from committing suicide when learning they were to be handed over to Semirhage. Semirhage discovered the technique where thirteen Dreadlords and thirteen Myrddraal could turn any channeler against their will to the Shadow. However, her preferred method of turning a person to serve the Shadow remained torturing the subjects into swearing allegiance to the Dark One. In addition to her pure enjoyment in inflicting excruciating agony, she thought that painful and perverse punishment is more effective - despite being more time-consuming. Semirhage also headed a network within lands under the Shadow to root out traitors and spies who followed the Light, and she was extremely effective in that role. There was a time during the War that Semirhage was captured, but she frightened her guards so much that they smuggled her out of captivity. Summoned together with the other twelve most powerful of the Forsaken, Semirhage found herself in the middle of the Hundred Companions' strike at Shayol Ghul, led by Lews Therin. Sealed inside the Dark One's prison, she slept for three thousand years. thumb|left|Semirhage by googoolini Release Semirhage, Demandred, and Mesaana have likely been working together since before the War of Power. Semirhage has an intimate knowledge of the brain and its pain and pleasure centers, and uses these to torture a victim into bending to her will. After her release, it is Semirhage who sends Shadowspawn to counter Sammael's Shadowspawn in the Stone of Tear, where they were attempting to slay Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn. Semirhage poses as a soe'feia named Anath Dorje, replacing Neferi, who reportedly died falling down stairs. Appointed as Tuon's supposed Truthspeaker and retainer, Semirhage accompanies Tuon on the voyage aboard the Victory of Kidron in the Seanchan invasion force. They arrive at Ebou Dar. Semirhage's plan to manipulate Tuon is unsuccessful as the future Empress is strong minded and a "willful charge." After Tuon is spirited away by Mat Cauthon, out of Semirhages control entirely, she goes to Seanchan to carry out a new plan that plays more to her strengths. She murders Empress Radhanan and the entire Imperial Court, plunging Seanchan into chaos. She then pays a visit to Suroth Sabelle Meldarath, a darkfriend, and tells her to find and murder Tuon. Semirhage plans to set Suroth up as the new Empress of Seanchan - one who is completely under her thumb. Meeting with the Dragon Later, she attends the meeting with the other Chosen in Tel'aran'rhiod, which is made to look like the Ansaline Gardens. There she is told that Rand is not to be harmed and that Mat and Perrin Aybara are to be killed if found. Semirhage then masquerades as the Daughter of the Nine Moons, Tuon herself, for a planned meeting with Rand. Her weaves of disguise are unraveled by one of Cadsuane Melaidhrin's ornaments in her Paralis-net. She is identified and captured, but not before blasting Rand with a fireball. The fireball amputates his hand, fulfilling one of Min's viewings. Afterwards she is captured by Rand and his companions, but he once again refuses to execute a female Forsaken. Semirhage points out that Rand hears voices, which is one of the signs of Rand's impending madness. She states that it may be very soon that he completely succumbs to the madness and kills all those around him. While imprisoned she is given to Cadsuane Melaidhrin who tries to interrogate her, without success. Semirhage just ignores Cadsuane and others (including Merise Haindehl and Sarene Nemdahl) who try coerce information from the Forsaken without resorting to torture, which Rand has forbidden. Instead of answering questions, she talks about torture techniques and the violence she did to her prisoners, causing fear amongst her Aes Sedai jailers. When Sorilea points out just how human she is in actuality, the Wise One gets a brief reaction. It is Cadsuane who ultimately understands that Semirhage is too proficient in the arts of torture to succumb to it herself. Indeed, Semirhage seems almost to anticipate with relish the challenge of torture. However, Cadsuane realizes Semirhage's overblown ego is susceptible to humiliation. Consequently, Cadsuane systematically begins to humble her and whittle away her larger-than-life reputation, beginning with a good old-fashioned spanking. Soon afterward, Semirhage is released by Shaidar Haran. She is given the Domination Band by Elza Penfell, and together they use it to capture Rand al'Thor. She causes great pain to Rand through the band before trying to make him choke the life out of Min Farshaw. In a panicked rage, Rand draws upon the True Power, breaks the Domination Band, and then kills Semirhage and Elza Penfell with Balefire. Notes